Art of cracking hydrocarbon oils



July 23, 1929. E. c. HERTHEL ART OF CRACKING HYDROCARBON OILS Filed Jan. 12, 1928 NS NS@ I... NN

d m T van m 2653K EL Ill) lli

oil eireulntingv through the heating: zone heroines f-=zilurned with pitch7 rioireulnion of uuvuporized oil Ytroni the vzipmyizing;` zone through the h `ating Zone in stopped, the eirruhitiou ot ruw oil through the limiting: Zone heine' continued nud Vnpors of the eruelied oil heine' tnken oli'l Yfrom the vnporizingg :Lone until :i 'further Sul'rntnulinl :nuount o ernelied oil hn4 heen tnlen oil'. ill the Sinne linie thnt the reeireulntimi o'l unruporized oil from the Yuliorininfgj :ione ihrougfjh the limiting; Zone in stopped. or somewhat hater. the di, :hnrgge olf unHiporiied oil l'roni the Vnporiiiinr Zone in hegxuu, lo preventefieessive :ufouniuliition of uurni'imixed oil in the rnimrizing: :cone` hut in carrying! out this invention :i relitirely high ('oiugenl'rulion oli piteh or pitrh-l l ntituents in uueh diwehnrggjed un'mpm'iyzeilV oil muy he nuiiu'iniued with ndvnnlngn ruther thnn will; deiriuu'lnt to the operulii'in :ir-1 :i whole. During" the lirul` period ot operzitiou in whieh rzipors nre tizlien ellI lroui the raporixinyj Zone, it in :ulrznilnneoiis to reeirel'ilnte the unrnporimd oil ''roni the -.'upoii;cin, Yone lo the treatingv Zone without fliselinreing; :my olI the unrnpori'fzed oil from lhe 'i'nporiiaing' icone.

The rnporr; lul-ren oh troni the vziporiying;l Zone during; hoh periods oi" operntion :ire `with nifh'ziutnee nul'rjeeted to :i relluxiugg operation from n'hirh higljher hoiling; components in the V: porel are reeireuluted :is rellui eondeumle through the lient-inn` zone :ulu'iiied with raw oil7 the uriniure :il-1o including' during' the lirnt period ol operation iuivuporized oil reeireulnted troni the Vnpi'iriL/iini;` Zone. The ruw oil ,supplied to the operation in` wih aidrnulnge, introdui'ed dirertly into the Vuil/orsi iu Hurh reiluxin;V operation7 ther-ehi' heine' prehen'inl und :il the Home time Cooling nud rmulenniiuthe rupors, the oil mixture 'lroiu the ri-llnxinfi oprrniion in this une iui'huling; uuvnporized run' oil und rellux condensate. ln termino ini;` the opera tion it in' :nlrzinlnggeoun to sti thi` ilisi'hnrgge oi iin\'n} ori%ed oil Ylroui ll Vinvin-wine" Zone :ind lo rersuine ihe reeirculii tion olE :such unfnpori/.ed oil through the honlinig Zone .rhile eontinuing: Vlo tui-e olli' Yziporn; ol' the erzufli'ed oil Yfrom the vuporizing saone for :i l'urlher period.

The invention will he further defsei'ihed in Connection with the :u'eoiupunj-finig iiruu'ingr; which illurastrnie, dinero11?insitirnlliy ind Coi.- Yentionnlly. in elerntion :uid partir in .Section with purl hrohen unziy, one Yl'orin olf :ipiiurailuu :ulziped tor enrrjyiru' oui lhe proveen olf the inrentiini, hul it will he iuulen-siooil lhu i thin more delniled deseription in hy 'way of illufitrntion rather their limitation ol the inveu'iou. While the proveen oli the invention uni'v he i-zirried out in other und i'lilerent il'ornn: ol apparatus, the nppnrntus illustrnteil in the zieeonipuuying drnrfings hun eerernl speeinl anlrn ungen; thin pnrtieulnr niipnr ti .i is eininuil in un npplieution eoperulini; hereiig in with filed January l@y 1928, Serial No. einem.

Referring to the drawings, the pressure still :i1/'stein illuutrnted compri-wfl :i hnllery o'l healing tuhewl 2 arranged in the lnfziiine- [lue of n. Vlun-mice $5, :L Tnporizingf drinn 4f, eireulait-inev eoniieetions (5 and T including i puuip or other nuitzihle il'orengg menus S, :i mire 9 for cloning the connection between the rnporizing drinn el; nnil the intake aile olf the pump 8, n reflux lower 1i l) with suitnhle Ynpo' eonneetions ll :ind reflux return conneetions ,l2 to the .still iln'open n connection 1?; tor intri'uluciiur run' oil into the reflux tower ll), :i eol'ideni-ie' 'l-i-7 n receiver lo? und :i ouneetion ,lo' 'for iflioelnirgiiu unvnporirfed oil from the rnporizing drinn #1:. The diidilliite produr'tl is diselnirged i 'oni the ree'rirer l5 through eonuei'tion 1T, und unifoinlenz-teil Ynpors und insee through rininei'ztion A18. Vlrlrensure in the s jnl'ein is maintained :nifl 'reiigululed hy inc-,zines ol: valve 'i9 in the vapor line hftween the reflux tower l0 :1nd the roinl-enner l l or hy i mennoI ol suihihlo xulws zirrnngeil heyond the einulenser or receiver. Connertioi 2l provided for initially chere'- iugl the still nt the liegrginninrvv ot n run :ind 'for pumping;` out the :still at the end ot :i run. Connection is provided ior supply iw cool oih Ylor example n portion of the rain' oh to the h xurine@ of the pump il, or for ,introdueing; nn nddiitionnl amount of' rnw oil thin/)ugh e-nieh hearings. Conner-,lions 2?, ineludingg` Sui?"'le forcing' lne; ne, :ire provided for recirrulnting` o'i'er the heating' ruhen` n portion of the hentiing); ineen which have punned thereover7 21S derserihefl ii lietlin's iraiteul; No. lnTlf/i :ind lilo. 1,5 fi' ,ir-Hund to the Sinclair Refining ("oinininy llehruziry 23., 19% on npplii'zitiou o't John lil. ell.

'lhe 'lolloningij efnniple olf :in operution elnhodying the invention carried out lfor the profli'ietiou o'iE gni-'oline troni gufi oil will illustrnle the :nrrying out ot the invention in the apparatus illustrated: The Still is iniliully eh: rg'ed with nhout (LOCO-8,090 gallons ol gan oil und, with the ri lve 9 openy puinp 8 ifs sturied and the Yfurnnee 3 Aif; tired. Ao soon :is the pump S is started, ruw oil is 'forced through connection Q2 in through the l enringije olf the piunp nt` tl e rule of nhout Q gnllonn per hour. AS the still ehnrge in hented` in); contained unter or very light hydro- Cnrhone :1re vnporized und periinitted to esenpe through the rope-r line 529. frlter u period el' nhoul' tour to live hours, fnlve l() is cloned und the still is gradually brought. to opeinting;` 'temperature :uid pressure, soy in another `i'our or live hours. When the pref-- sure in the systein reaches7 for exninple, 1:25- 150 lhs. per sq. in., the valve 19 .is gradually opened :uid regulated te maintain the desired predetermined presnure in the system. Art nhout thesnine time the introduction ol Y oil, through connection 13 into the upper lll) lil)

end ol retlux tower l is hegun and the rate ol introduction regulated to maintain the desired temperature at the top olt the rellux tower, iter example 550O l". The rate at which raw oil is introduced into the upper end ot rel'lux tower 10 may reach 2,000 gallons per hour or more. Additional raw oil, il'or example to maintain the charge ol.E oil in the vaporizing drum 4t, may he supplied through connection 22. rlhe total rate at which raw oil is supplied may reach 2,500 gallons per hour ormore. The vapors ol the cracked oil escaping uneondenscd lrom the re'l'lux tower l0 through connection 20 are con densed in the condenser 1.4 from which the resulting condensate is discharged into receiver l5. During' this lil-st period of operation in which vapors are taken off from the operation, the charge ot oil in the still is circulated and recirculated through. the heatingl tubes 2 :trom and to the vaporizing` drinn 4t. Betere the circulating still charge becomes saturated with pitch or pitch-like constituer; ts, vfor example by the time the dis vtillat-e taken oill amounts to or somewhat more ot the total raw oil includingf the initial charge supplied to the operation, the valve 9 is gradually closed. This tirst period ot' operation after the still is brought to operation conditions of temperature and pressure, may approximate two to three hours or longer. The closing of the valve 9 is done slowly to permit gradual self-adjustment ot the operation to the change in operating conditions; tor example complete closure ot the valve 9 may require an hour. lVhen the valve 9 is completely closed, but not until then, the discharge ot unvaporized oil trom the vaporizing drum 4l. through connection @i6 is hen'un and regulated, tor cxample, to maintain a constant level within the vaporizing' drinn. The discharge oit unvapori'fzed oil through connection 1.6 may he started immediately :litter the valve 9 is conn plctcly closed or particularly where there a relatively small charge ot oil in the vapori# ing drum at the time, it may not he started until some time later, say an hour or longer. During,r the first period ol operation, atter the still. is hrought to operating condition of temperature and pressure, the oil mixture circulated through the heating 'tubes 2 includes admixed reflux condensate and nnvaporizcd raw oil trom the reflux tower l0 and in addition nnvaporized oil recirculated through. the heating;l tubes lrom the vaporizinig drum 4l. During the second period of operation, a'l'ter the valve 9 is closed, the oil mixture circulating through the heating tuhes 2 includes only admixed reflux condensate and unvaporized raw oil. In normal operation, the proportion of reflux condensate in the oil mixture circulated through the heatingl tubes duringl the second. period of operation several times exceeds that oli raw oil.. This second period ot operation Amay last from to 200 hours or longer, depending;l upon the particular stocks under treatment and the particular products desired. As the operation terminates, the lires are lirst drawn and valve 9 is then gradually opened, over a period ot 'trom say one-hall to one hour, while the introductiim ot raw oil through connection 13 is continued, as described above. At the same time, the rate at which raw oil is supplied through connection 22, it in excess ot about 250 gallons per hour, is reduced to that value. lVhen the pressure in the system has dropped to say 00 lhs. per sq. in., or :litter a period ot say two hours, the introduction ot raw oil is stopped and the pump S is stopped, the valve i9 is closed, and the still pumped out through connection 2l. After the still. is steamed out in the usual way it is then ready Ytor cleaning'. T he valve 9 is with advantage kept closed during the cleaning operation.

ln the foregoing example, pressures ot lili-l5() lhs. per sq. in. are given as an illustr-'*ion oit the pressures under which the operation may he carried out. lt will he undcrstood that higher or lower pressures, depending upon the psu'ticular stocks to he treated and the particular products desired, may he used in carrying out the process ot the in vention. In t@gener l it is advantageous to use higher pressures and correslnmdinggly higher temperatures with more retractocy stocks; with some stocks pressines as hig'ih as 300 lhs. per sq. in. or higher mayY he used. The crruliini; temperature to which the oil is :mhjected corresponds, with anyY particu lar stock, to the presi-aire under which the operation. is arried out. rlfhe present invention is ot special value and Application in connection with operations "arried out under hinh pressure and at corre-repondingly high tempera ture in the treatment olI relatively re- ;tractm'y stocks or in the maintenance ot relatively severe cracking conditions.

The raw Oil supplied to the operation in carrying out the processv ot the inventhin may hc preheated, Vt'or example to a temperature in the neigtihorhood ot letlfltltl@ li". Raw oil intr-minced into direct contact with vapors in a retluxingiI operation. as through connection lil in the apparatus illustrated, should .not hc supplied at a temperature in excess oi that making possible the maintenznn'e ot the dcsircd tempm'alure gradient under the prerailing` pressure through the relluxingi operation. rlhc unvapo-rized oil discharged l'rom the vaporiz/.infg r/.one may he suhliceted to lurther treatment tor the separation ol.f eil components, to he returned to the crackine; operation or subjected to some other cracking` operation. For example, oil components oit the discia'rgged unvapcriyed oil may he vaporized hy reducingY the pressure thereon as discharged and while still at high 111111'101'111'111'0 111111 1110 11111111101'1Z001 111511111111 V1111111 :1011111111011 A1'1'0111 \'111101'1Z011 011 00111110- 1101110.

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110110 111 which higher boiling' 0.11 1s 0110111111011 1111111111111 11 1101111111; Z000 111 `11111011 1110 011 1S 110111011 111 11 011101111111'101111101011110 t0 :1 V111101'1Z- 111g' Z0110 '11'11111 111111011 1111110111 01 1110 0111011011 011 :11'0 11111011 011:' 11111101' 0111101'11111100111101'10 111'00- S1110, the 1111111'01101110111; which 0011111111505 bringing 1111 111111111 011111'g0 111I 011 t0 011101111111' 0011111110110 0f 110111110111111110- 111111 1110001110, 111011 111111110' 011' 1111110170 0f 1110 0111011011 011 11111111 11110 11111101'1Z1111; Z000 11111110 011011111111111' 111111 1'0011'- 011111111111' 111511101' 11011111131' 011 through 13110 11011.1- ing Z000 1'1'0111 111111 t0 1110 101110117111111' Z000 1111110111 (11:50h 1115.111112 1111\1':1.]101'1Z01`1 01.1 .1'11'0111 110 1:11101'1Z111g Z0110 111111 supplying 111W 011 1z0 J0110 0i] 011011111171110' 1111711111111 1110110011111; Z01101111t11 :1 011115111111101 11111011111 01' 0111011011 011 1111s 110011 11111011 1111', :11111 111011, 151011110 11110 011 011011111111110' 11111011011 111,0 1101111110' Z000 1100011105 0111111111001 11'11'11 1111011.` 111.00111111111111' 111111111101'1Z011 011 11'0111 11110 y"11]1111'1Z1111o1 Z0110 111111 Stopping 1110 1'0011'- 01111111011 01:111111111101'1Z011 011 11'0111 1110 '11111101171- 1110' 20110 111111110111 1.110 11011111111' Z000 11111110 0011- 111101110' 111 *0:1110 11111 1111110120 01 11110 0111011011 011 1111111 1.110 11111101'1Z111g Z0110 11.1111 t0 01101111110 111-W 111.1 111111111111 11110 110011111131' Z0110 111113.11 11 111111101' :11111011111131111 111111111111 01 0111011011 011 has 110011 11111011 011'.

41. 111 01110111110' 11.111110011113011 011s 111 0110111d 1110110 111 .1'1111'11 111111101'110111111;` 1111 is 0110111111011 111111111111 :1 1100.111110' Z000 111 111111011 1110 011 15 110111011 11 01110111110' 501111101111010 t0 :1 \':1.]101'1Z- 11111711110 311'0111 which 111111011101 1110 0111011011 011 111'0 111111111 011' 11111101' 011110111111110011110110 111110'- 011111, 11110 111111111110111011t 111111011 001111111005 11111101110' 1111 111101111 011111150 of 011 110 011101111111' conditions 0f 1.011111011101110 :11111 111705011111, 111011 faking 011 111111010 0f 13110 0111011011 011 111.11111 1110 111111011711110' Z000 111111 5111110011110' 11101.11 110 11 1'011111: 0111111001011 111 1111'00t Contact 11111111 111W 011 ,111151011110011 111110 the 1111111110I 111 1110 1701111111111; 011011111011 11111110 011011111111110' 11111111x011 11111111; 001111011011110 1111.11 1111V1111O1'1Z011 111W 011 '11111111 11110 1011111.11111; 0110111111011 11110111111 11110 11011111111' 70110 111 11111111xt111'0 1111211 11111111111111711111 011 1'0011'011- 11111011 11'0111 1110 ':1.1101'1Z1111'Z0110 11111111 11 01111- .511111111111 11.11101111t 01 0111011011 011 11111; 110011 111110.11 011', 111111 111011, 11011110 1.110 011 011011111111111' 11111111011 1110 11011111110' Z000 1100011100 0111111111011 11'11111 11.11011, 0110711111111; 11110 100110111011011 0f 1111- 1111101171011 011 1111111 1110 1111-1101'1Zi11g; 710110 'through 11101101111111;` 710110 1111110 001111111111110' 110 11111j00t 1111110111 11111011 0111 11'011'1 1110 11:11101'1Z11111' Z000 110 1,110 1011112111111' 0110111111011 :11111 10 011'011w 1:1.1'0 111'11111X011 10111111' 001111011111110 111111 111111111101'- 'iZ011 111W 011 111111.11 11110 1'01111X1ng1' 011011111011 11110114011 17110 11011111115; .Z0110 11111111 11. 1111111101' 111111- 012111111111 11111011111 0f 0111011011011 1111s 110011 111.11011 0111, :11111, 111.1111111; 11110 l00001111 111011111111011 11011011 0f 0110111t1011 111 11111011 1111110111 11111 111111011 011 1111111 1110 11111101'1Z111g' Z000, 11100111111211111111' 1111- v111'101'1Z011 011 '1111111 11110 V11p01'1Z1110' Z0110.

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zone from which vapors of the cracked oil are taken ol'll under superatmospheric pressure, the ininoven'ient which comprises bringing an initial charge of oil to cracking conditions olf ten'iperature and pressure, then taking oill vapors of the cracked oil trom the vaporizing zone wh ile ci rculatii'ig and recirculating higher boiling oil through the .heating Zone from and to the vaporizing zone and supplying raw oil to the oil circulating through the heating zone until a substantial amount olf cracked oil has been Vtaken olii', and themhe'lore the oil ciiiculating through trie heating Zone becomes saturated with pitch, stopping' the recirculation of unvaporized oil from the vaporizing zone through the heating yone while continuing the take oll vapors ot the cracked oil trom the vaporizing zone and circulating rau' oil admired with higher boiling components condensed :troni the vapors taken olii' trein the vaporizing Zone through the heating zone until a further substantial amount of cracked oil has been taken off, and, during the second mentioned period of operation in which vapors are taken oill from the vaporizing zone, discharging unvaporized oil 'troni the vaporizing Zone.

(5. lin cracking hydrocarbon oils in operations in which higher boiling oil is circulated through a heating Zone in which the oil is heated to a cracking temperature to a Vaporizing Zone from which vapors of the cracked oil are taken olf under superatinospheric pressure the iinproven'ieiut which comprises bringing an initial charge of oil to cracking conditions of tei'iiperature and pressure, then taking oil' vapors of the cracked oil troni the vaporizing Zone While circulating and recirculating higher boiling oil through the heating :cone from and to 'the vaporizing Zone and supplying raw oil to the oil circulating through the heating zone until a substantial amount oi cracked oil has been taken oli, and. then, before the oil circulating through 'the heating Zone becomes saturated 'with pitch7 stopping the recirculation ot unvaporizod oil from the vaporizing zone through the heating zone and discharging unvaporized oil from the vaporizing Zone while coi'itinuing to take oli' vapors of the cracked oil `troni the vaporizing Zone and to circulate .raw oil through the heating zone until a further substantial amount of cracked oil has been taken oli', and terminating the operation by stopping the discharge of unvaporizcd oil from 'the Avaporiiaing Zone and resuming the recirculation ot unvaporized oil therefrom through the `heating Zone while continuing to take ol'lA vapors oit the cracked oil from the vaporizing zone.

In testimony whereof, I have subscribed my name.

EUGENE C. HERTHEL. 

